This invention relates to seating devices.
More particularly, the present invention relates to seating devices incorporating continuous adjustment or movement.
In a further and more specific aspect, the present invention concerns vehicular seating devices.
Within the art of vehicular seating devices and specifically to automotive seating devices, many and diverse devices have been developed. Movable seats, particularly those provided in vehicles such as automobiles, have requirements for safety purposes, e.g., they must lock firmly in a selected position. Also, the mechanism must be sufficiently robust to withstand forces generated in an accident or at least meet the criteria imposed on manufacturers.
Generally, this requirement is achieved by making the seat movable between specific steps or positions. In current conventional movable seats this movement is provided by a movable rod interlocking in one of a series of linearly displaced holes, a detent type arrangement, etc.
While these prior art devices are generally sufficiently rugged to hold the seat and operator rigidly in place, they are difficult to adjust and, in many instances, the movement steps leave an operator in an uncomfortable or unsafe position. In conventional vehicles, belts restrain the operator and any passengers. These seat belts firmly hold the individuals to their respective seat, preventing the individuals from being thrown about and injured from contact with various parts of the vehicle. If the seat can only be moved in specific steps, a seat belt associated with the seat may be too tight for comfort in one step and too loose for safety in the next step. Also, the driver of a vehicle may be too far from the steering wheel and controls in one step and too close in the next step.
Additionally, current track mechanisms have an inboard and an outboard side, which provide for seat adjustment and have to be locked on both sides for structural integrity. Due to structural flexibility, the inboard and outboard sides do not move precisely in tandem. Because the adjustment increment is discrete, it is possible that when one side is in a locked position the other side may be in an unlocked position. While the seat, as such, may feel locked, structural integrity is compromised because only one side is locked.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved continuous seat adjustment apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved continuous seat adjustment apparatus that is rugged and can withstand vehicle impact shocks.
And another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved continuous seat adjustment apparatus that is used to mount a seat in a vehicle.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved continuous seat adjustment apparatus, capable of continuous adjustment or movement anywhere between a maximum and a minimum position.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved continuous seat adjustment apparatus that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble.
Briefly, to achieve the desired objects of the invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, provided is continuous seat adjustment apparatus for use in conjunction with a seating device including a track assembly having an inner track and an outer track longitudinally movable on the inner track. The apparatus includes a pair of opposed jaws constructed to be mounted on the outer track for pivotal movement between first and second orientations. Each of the jaws has an opening defined therethrough formed to receive the inner track therein. The jaws frictionally engage the inner track in the first orientation to substantially prevent longitudinal movement along the inner track and release the inner track in the second orientation to allow continuous longitudinal movement along the inner track. A spring device is affixed to the pair of opposed jaws to provide a bias on the jaws tending to move the jaws into the first orientation. An adjustment member is affixed to one of the jaws for moving the jaws against the spring bias from the first orientation to the second orientation to allow free continuous longitudinal adjustment of the seat.
To further achieve the desired objects of the invention in accordance with a specific embodiment thereof, provided is continuous seat adjustment apparatus used in conjunction with a seating device including a track assembly having first and second spaced apart inner tracks and first and second spaced apart outer tracks longitudinally movable on the first and second inner tracks, respectively. The apparatus includes first and second substantially similar adjustment devices. The first adjustment device is associated with the first inner track and the first outer track and the second adjustment device is associated with the second inner track and the second outer track.
Each of the adjustment devices includes a pair of opposed jaws mounted on the associated outer track for pivotal movement between first and second orientations. Each of the jaws of the pair has an opening defined therethrough with the associated inner track longitudinally extending therethrough. The jaws frictionally engage the associated inner track in the first orientation to substantially prevent longitudinal movement along the associated inner track and the jaws release the associated inner track in the second orientation to allow continuous longitudinal movement or adjustment along the associated inner track. A spring device is affixed to the pair of jaws to provide a bias on the pair of jaws tending to move the pair of jaws into the first orientation. An adjustment member is affixed to one of the jaws of each of the first and second pairs of jaws for moving the first and second pairs of jaws against the spring bias from the first orientation to the second orientation so that the seat is freely adjustable in a longitudinal direction along the inner tracks.